Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026

CFMS Global Health Program Strategic Plan 2023

Read our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan here!

LETTER FROM THE 2022-2023 Director

Dear CFMS medical student, stakeholder, and/or supporter,

I am thrilled to present to you the Global Health Program (GHP)’s new strategic plan 2023-2026, a roadmap that sets the course for our future endeavors. This strategy has been carefully crafted to align with our core values and mission, ensuring a clear direction for our collective efforts. This strategic plan builds on our 2019-2022 plan developed by then Director of Global Health Michelle Quaye.

Our strategic plan revolves around three key pillars: transformation, empowerment, and impact. We aim to continuously reflect and adapt our work through the lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization frameworks. A major part of this requires making bold transformations to our internal structure and external partnerships and directions. Empowerment is another vital pillar of our plan, as we strive to increase our engagement, share more resources, and offer more opportunities for our students. Equally important is impact, as we recognize the value of collaboration and meaningful connections to execute initiatives that ultimately start conversations, build leaders, and make real change.

I am immensely grateful to the dedicated individuals who have contributed to the development of this strategic plan. This includes, but is not limited to, our wonderful 2022-2023 global health leadership team shown on page 10, as well as our valued local global health leaders at each CFMS school - global health liaisons and local officers. Thank you for your input and support.

I invite you to delve into the pages that follow, where you will find a detailed outline of our strategic plan, highlighting our vision and objectives. Your continued support, feedback, and collaboration will be crucial as we work together to achieve our shared vision. Together, let us embark on this transformative path, united by a collective purpose and driven by the determination to build physicians who are grounded in the principles of social medicine.

With warm regards,

Khalidha Nasiri

2022-2023 CFMS Director of Global Health

April 2023, Toronto, Canada

CFMS Global Health Strategic Directions Summary

Strategic Directions 2023-2026

  • Strategic Direction #1: Increase meaningful CFMS and GHP member engagement
  • Strategic Direction #2: Prioritize grounding our approaches and work in anti-oppressive, anti-racist and anti-colonial frameworks
  • Strategic Direction #3: Increased IFMSA engagement
  • Strategic Direction #4: Develop ongoing coordinated national activities that National Officers can implement on an ongoing basis, akin to the National Day of Action
  • Strategic Direction #6: Successfully relaunch and establish the CFMS-IFMSA international exchanges program beyond pre-pandemic levels
  • Strategic Direction #7: Build internal capacity building and institutional memory to enhance portfolio longevity and strengthened activities

Strategic Directions 2023-2026

Introducing national and international advocacy themes. The idea is to have running themes that unite the work of our portfolio. These themes also touch on other CFMS portfolios, such as Education and Government Affairs, which can encourage cross portfolio collaboration between CFMS Board members and portfolios. At any given time, one or more of these themes can be selected as an annual national advocacy theme focus for the portfolio. These themes are not static. The GHP, through consensus, may decide to address other national advocacy themes. The following were the most common national advocacy themes recommended during our consultations.

  1. National Advocacy Theme #1: Indigenous health and rights
  2. National Advocacy Theme #2: Migrant health
  3. National Advocacy Theme #3: Planetary health
  4. National Advocacy Theme #4: Racism in health care

Strategic International Advocacy Themes

Introducing national and international advocacy themes. These are drawn from IFMSA Global Priorities and Americas Regional Strategic Priorities. These may change if new priorities are voted on at General and Regional Meetings.

  1. International Advocacy Theme #1: Human Resources for Health and the Health Workforce (IFMSA Global Priority)
  2. International Advocacy Theme #2: Post-Pandemic Recovery (IFMSA Global Priority)
  3. International Advocacy Theme #3: Climate Change and its Impact on Health (IFMSA Americas Regional Priority)
  4. International Advocacy Theme #4: Social Inclusion in Health (IFMSA Americas Regional Priority)

Read our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan here!